the only thing constant is change

One of the aspects of the little project my friends and I are putting together for next month has undertaken a change in terms of media. The creators are abuzz with their responsibilities and contributions, and the thing is shaping up nicely. More when it's wise to speak.

so much for a traditional Filipino male escape

Because of the sudden influx of things to think about, I headed for a bar last night. I truly intended to act like a regular Filipino male and drown my sorrows (such as they were) in drink. I fully expected to find a wisecracking bartender who'd seen it all (wiping a glass with a small white towel, commiserating about the sadness of love and the inevitability of loss), and a prostitute with a heart of gold (in whose face, now tired wrinkled, I would catch glimpses of lost beauty). I saw neither. Instead, after my half of my 4th drink, I went home to the amusement of my wife, who said I should have gone to an Irish bar instead. What's funny is that in the midst of my "depression", I was toying with the structure of the Filipino folktale and wondering how to deconstruct it in a way previously unseen. Not exactly the situation a prostitute with a heart of gold could give advice about - but I can hope, right?

two awake, two asleep

Kamato Hongo, a 115 year old Japanese woman reputed to be the oldest woman in the world, keeps to her own schedule of things, keeping awake for two straight days then sleeping through the next two. This is one of the ways I'd write about immortality - none of the ageless drivel, but a continous aging beyond the hope of control or clarity. Poor thing. Anyway, while some experts believe that too much sleep leads to a shorter lifespan, Kamato Hongo balances her personal ratio of sleep and wakefulness precisely. If I had my way, I'd sleep just around 4 hours or so - because the best time for me to write and think is the wee hours of the morning.

ano ka, hilo?

In my cab ride to Makati today, I heard news on the radio about an 8 year old girl, who, after emulating the spinning of MTB's "Ano ka, hilo?", complained of dizziness, fell asleep and never woke up. Of course, it could have been some other unknown condition or a combination of things, but the image of a little girl, laughing as she spun and then closing her eyes forever is simply haunting.

noel, found

Thanks to a link from Gerry's, I finally found what Noel Lim is up to nowadays. This award-winning filmaker is someone best experienced. Go here for how the WASTED movie he's making with Gerry is coming along. Yo, Flim!